Are there any hadiths about not excluding a friend due to his mistake?

- Are there any hadiths about not excluding a friend due to his mistake?
- Information about forgiveness...

Dear Brother / Sister,

The Prophet (pbuh) encouraged believers to cover the mistakes of others:

"If a person conceals the faults of his Muslim brother in this world, Allah will conceal his faults on the Day of Resurrection." (Muslim, Birr, 58, 72)

On the other hand, the Prophet also said,

"If a person shames his brother in religion for a sin, he shall not die until he himself commits it." (Tirmidhi, Qiyamah, 53)

Thus, he attracted attention to the fact that when Muslims blamed and despised one another due to their faults, it would cause bad things to happen.

"Somebody who seeks a faultless friend will have no friends." As this saying indicates, man should not be busy with the faults of others; on the contrary, he should conceal them. The principle a believer should accept as a guide is expressed as follows by Allah in the following verse:

"Nor can goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better: Then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate." (Fussilat, 41/34). (Mehmet Emin AY)

God Almighty forgives His sinful slaves; thus, believers should also forgive one another. It is not an attitude that fits a believer to bear a grudge against others. For, the Prophet (pbuh) forgave those who tortured him in Makkah and those who fought against him and wanted to eliminate Islam in the battles of Badr, Uhud and Khandaq when they became Muslims.

God Almighty states the following:

"Kind words and the covering of faults are better than charity followed by injury. Allah is free of all wants, and He is Most-Forbearing." (al-Baqara, 2/263)

Thus, He mentions the virtue of forgiving. He also says,

"Hold to forgiveness; command what is right; But turn away from the ignorant." (al-A'raf, 7/199)

The term “afw” (forgiveness) is also used in the sense of beyond/extra in the Quran:

"…They ask thee how much they are to spend; Say: "What is beyond your needs…" (al-Baqara, 2/219)

The Prophet (pbuh) states the following regarding the issue:

"Try to remove the penalties of Muslims as much as you can. If there is a way out, release Muslims. It is better for the president to make a mistake by forgiving than making a mistake by punishing." (Ahmad b. Hanbal, V 160)

When Islam emerged, the people of Jahiliyya tended to punish people absolutely. They practiced pardoning only for the chiefs of tribes and their relatives. The others were definitely punished. It is seen that the Quran advises people to forgive the criminal related to personal offences. (Aal-i Imran, 3/124; al-Maida, 5/13)

However, when the crimes of those who commit sins and crimes are definite and if they set a bad example to the community, the administrators of the Islamic state cannot forgive it. However, the forgiveness of penalties in qisas and ta'zir has generally been carried out as a principle. Nevertheless, forgiveness has not been regarded permissible very much in the execution of hadd penalties. In qisas and ta'zir, forgiveness is generally regarded as something between the victim and the perpetrator. If the victim wishes, he will forgive. In that case, it is up to Allah to reward the victim when he forgives the criminal. (ash-Shura, 42/40) A believer who forgives the criminal though he is a victim knows that forgiving is such cases nearer to taqwa (righteousness) from the following message of God Almighty:

"…And the remission (of the man´s half) is the nearest to righteousness..." (al-Baqara, 2/237)

Thus, forgiving is a necessity of Islamic brotherhood; it will help develop the feeling of gratitude among Muslims and pave the way for Muslims to approach one another with the feeling of gratitude. As a matter of fact, a person who has the right to punish but who prefers to forgive is always appreciated by the community. This is a manifestation of Islamic ethics. Forgiving a criminal is not injustice. For God Almighty states that He can forgive any crime except unbelief and polytheism if He wishes:

"Allah forgiveth not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgiveth anything else, to whom He pleaseth…" (an-Nisa, 4/48)

On the other hand, when the penalties about revolting against Allah and violation of Islamic commands are definitely determined by the qadi (judge), the authority of the state to forgive does not exist any longer. However, if there is something missing in evidences and the determination of the elements of crime, it is possible for the state to decrease the penalty. Forgiveness is not possible in the cases in which there is no victim and which are not filed by a victim; forgiveness is not possible in the execution of hadd penalties. A victim can forgive the criminal related to the cases of theft and slander of fornication by using his authority to forgive. If such forgiveness takes place before a file is sued, the penalty is annulled. In such cases, if the crime has been committed, its penalty in the world only is forgiven. Its penalty in the hereafter is up to Allah. If the court has issued a decree, the penalty is executed related to the crimes like theft even if the victim forgives. The penalty is executed in such cases.

In Islam, the annulment of penalty in cases in which personal rights overweigh is regarded as a principle.

"... But if any remission is made by the brother of the slain, then grant any reasonable demand, and compensate him with handsome gratitude; this is a concession and a Mercy from your Lord..." (al-Baqara, 2/178)

"We ordained therein for them: "Life for life, eye for eye, nose or nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds equal for equal." But if any one remits the retaliation by way of charity, it is an act of atonement for himself. And if any fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (No better than) wrong-doers." (al-Maida, 5/45)

The verses above show that the victim has the possibility and authority to forgive. In such cases, the state has the right to give ta’zir penalty though the victim or his guardian forgives the criminal and though qisas (retaliation) is not carried out. However, if the victim dies, his guardian and close relatives has the right to use their authority in qisas. The guardian or inheritors of the victim can forgive the criminal. However, a person has to be sane and has to have reached the age of puberty to forgive. The criminal can sometimes be forgiven in return for diyah or goods/money. It is regarded as peace rather than forgiving.

The state has the authority to forgive related to the crimes in which state rights are violated or the crimes committed against the state. In cases in which personal rights are violated, the authority to forgive belongs primarily to the victim. If a crime involves both, that is the violation of the rights of the state and a person or some people, the right of one party is not waived when the other party forgives. The party that does not forgive has the right to demand the execution of the penalty.

(Ahmed AĞIRAKÇA)

Questions on Islam